"Congratulations!" Medvedev tweeted in English to Barack Obama, who emerged victorious in a tight race against Mitt Romney.

"Obama is an understandable and predictable partner," Medvedev told reporters on Wednesday. "Obama has been a quite successful president."

Meanwhile, the Russian premier expressed his relief that Republican candidate Mitt Romney, known for his anti-Russia outbursts on the campaign trail, had lost the election.

"I am glad that the man who calls Russia its No. 1 foe will not be the president of this large and influential state,” Medvedev said. “That is paranoid."

Moscow and Washington, which declared a "reset" in relations in 2009, are working to overcome a number of bilateral hurdles, including the NATO missile defense system in Eastern Europe, which Russia views as a threat to its national security, as well as how to resolve the years-long Syrian conflict.

Later, an official congratulation followed the emotional message.

Dmitry Peskov, the Russian leader’s press secretary, told reporters that President Vladimir Putin has sent a congratulatory message to Barack Obama, together with an invitation to visit Moscow in 2013.

Peskov said it is anticipated that the Russian leader will congratulate Barack Obama on his victory in a personal telephone conversation "in the near future."